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The Wood County Genealogical Society Genealogy Research Center is housed at the Quitman Public Library, 202 E. Goode Street (Hwy 154), Quitman, Texas. The library is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. every Tuesday through Friday excluding holidays.

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A visitor to the society genealogy research room this week, Liz Tarbutton, sent us a follow-up email about the family.

“Thank you so much for your assistance. My husband, Ron, and I are researching his GG Grandfather, William B. Tarbutton.

“This is what we know:
William B. was born around 1823 in NC, married Elizabeth Anne Scarborough (b. appx 1829, TN). They lived in Madison County, TN documented as late as 1867 and had five children born there:Mary Tarbutton, 1852
Joseph A. Tarbutton, 1858
Robert Aris Tarbutton, 1861
James Tarbutton, 1864
Idella Tarbutton, 1865

“We can’t find this family in the 1870 census. In 1880, the children are in Wood County, Precinct 6 and are living with different families. Ancestry has them indexed with the last name “Farbutton”. Mary is presumably married at this point, but we have no record of that.

“On April 20, 1880 a case was filed in Wood County involving “Adella” and William Tarbutton, minors. The court clerk says that it was a guardianship case, but was apparently continued and never heard.

“So our questions are: what happened to William B. and Elizabeth? Based on William being born in Texas, we assume that they made it to Texas prior to 1870.

“Is there anything available that would give us William B.’s parents names?

“If anyone is digging in Ancestry, there is a lot of inaccurate information about William. There is a second William Tarbutton, who also happens to be married to an Elizabeth, who is from Tennessee, born in Kentucky and emigrating to Missouri prior to the War (if memory serves right, in the 1840’s). The other William died in 1867 in Missouri. The two Williams are different people, but many have their timelines/relationships intermingled.

“If you have any tips or suggestions, we would love to hear them! Thanks so much.”

If you can help Liz and Ron, you can respond here. We also have their telephone number, and members can contact the editor at wcgstx@gmail.com if you wish to talk to them directly.

Email 1
I descend from Joseph A. Tarbutton s/o William B. Tarbutton. I noticed on Ancestry that two William Tarbuttons were apparently combined. Since Wood county is a burnt county, makes research more difficult. William B, and wife Eliza died before the 1880 census, and their children were scattered about. Joseph married Mary Cogswell in 1880 in Wood co., she is the daughter of Levi Cogswell and Sallie Wallace (he from Gwinnett co. Ga. , Sallie Marion co. Miss, or was it Hancock co. , don’t have my data in front of me and since its 2:20 a.m. don’t want to get up.) Joe Tarbutton and his in-laws moved to Shelby co. Tx. Mary Cogswell Tarbutton died in 1890 and is buried in Shelby co., Joe remarried to a Mary Ann Sanders , they are living in Houston co. on the 1900 census, but kids from the 1st marriage are living with the Cogwells in Shelby co. Mary Sanders divorced Joe and moved back to Ark, found info on the second family with the help of Ancestry.com. Joe died of Brights disease (kidney problems) in 1906, I think. Idella married a Cansler and lived in Walker co. and had a bunch of kids. Robert lived in Rains county. I think James married and died young in the 1890’s , don’t know what happen to Mary if she lived long-she just disappeard. Didn’t even know William or James existed till they were listed on the census. My great gdmtr Maud Tarbutton Martin died in 1937 at age 57 (I think-could be 1939). On my line people died young; even though Levi and Sallie Cogswell lived to be elderly, of 7 children only one lived to be in her seventies, only two were living on the 1900 census. Joseph’s parents died young, Joe died young, and his siblings lived away. Information gets lost.

Email 2
Reread the query. Got up and got my papers. This is what I have.
Joseph A. Tarbutton born Oct 1858 (soundex) died 1906 Shelby co, Tx
s/o William Tarbutton and Elizabeth Ann/Eliza Scarborough (name has a lot of vowels). Elizabeth is the dau. of Stephen and his wife Winney (Tarbutton), William and Eliza were cousins-possibly 1st. cousins. William Tarbutton father was probably Joseph Tarbutton he is on the 1860 mortatily schedule-so he died in 1859 at age 86 of consumption and was born in Maryland. Seems all the Tarbutton men are either John, Joseph or William and the women are all name Mary or Elizabeth. Is Ron Tarbutton from Robert Tarbutton line, brother of my Joseph?

looking for info on a J.J. Marlar that married a Eliza Scarborough 7 Aug. 1869 in Hopkins County, Texas . I have a copy of their marriage certificate.Written in Eliza’s fathers Bible there is a William Robert Marlar born 27 July 1870 believed to be their son. Eliza was born 8 Oct. 1850, the daughter of William S. Scarborough and Nancy Tarbutton. Any help in regard to J.J. would be greatly appreciated as his name is all I have with the exception of the marriage date. I will be more than happy to share any info I may have. Thanks Bonita

On Dawes Roll indian application ,In 1900 my great grandmother Lillie Marlar gave the name Eliza Scarborough and Jesse Marlar as the parents of J.H Marlar
( John Henry Marlar) born 1873 Yantis,Tx . Would like to know if you have any information you’d share, and would be more than glad to share information that I may have with you.

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